JF Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Rehearsal Rooms

Washington, DC

 

Size:

14,260 SF

 

This renovation involved nine rehearsal rooms located on various levels in the Kennedy Center. Samaha designed a new wall and ceiling acoustical panels (clouds), added new doors and frames, and a new sprung floor system with Marley floor, refinished the existing to remain wood floor systems, and installed new speakers, new sprinkler heads, linear diffusers, linear exhaust, pendant lighting, media player cabinets, ballet barres, mirrors, curtains, and infrastructure for flat screen projections. Primary challenges included creating a warm and inspirational space for rehearsals, incorporation of space design for flexibility and multi-functional uses, acoustics, and multi-level lighting. Samaha achieved the “wow!” impression from all users who were previously accustomed to bare CMU walls, flat ceilings, poor lighting, and virtually no acoustic control.